New York Attorney General Letitia James has been referred for a federal criminal investigation over alleged mortgage fraud, according to a letter obtained by The New York Post on Tuesday.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent the referral to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing James of falsifying records to secure home loans. The letter alleges that in 2023, while still serving as a New York state prosecutor, James claimed a property in Virginia was her “principal residence” in order to obtain a mortgage.
Pulte also cited a 2001 purchase by James of a five-family building in Brooklyn, which she has “consistently misrepresented” as having only four units in building permits and mortgage filings.
Additional documents included in the referral show James bought another property with her father as a co-signer, but on mortgage applications in 1983 and 2000, the two were falsely listed as “husband and wife.”
“While this was a long time ago, it raises serious concerns about the validity of Ms. James’ representations on mortgage applications,” Pulte wrote.
James is best known for bringing the civil fraud case against Trump and the Trump Organization, accusing Trump and his adult children of inflating asset values to secure favorable loans and insurance terms. Filed in 2022, the case ended in a major ruling in early 2024, when a New York judge found Trump liable for fraud and ordered him to pay over $450 million in penalties and interest. James personally oversaw the investigation and trial, which is now under appeal.
She also played a key role in forcing Trump and his children to testify under oath, despite their repeated efforts to avoid doing so. Earlier in her tenure, James pursued the dissolution of the Trump Foundation, a case that began before she took office but was driven to completion under her leadership. That case resulted in the foundation’s shutdown and a $2 million judgment against Trump.
